St. Francis: ‘The pressing demand of a profoundly human archetype’

Cardinal Jaime Spengler, Archbishop of Porto Alegre and president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, discussed the enduring relevance of Saint Francis of Assisi as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the saint's death in 2026.

Commemorations for the anniversary include conferences in Rome and elsewhere, the exposition of relics, and plenary indulgences at Franciscan churches or churches named after the saint. Spengler, a Franciscan priest ordained in 1990, noted the high level of devotion Catholics currently show toward contemporary saints such as Carlo Acutis.